Salisbury, MD – Chesapeake Health Care (CHC), a leading nonprofit community healthcare organization serving Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties, is thrilled to announce the receipt of a two-year, $2,000,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This significant funding will support HRSA’s Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) program, aimed at enhancing access to maternal and obstetrics care in rural areas.
The United States currently faces a maternal mortality rate that surpasses that of any other developed nation, with a rate more than double that of peer countries. CHC’s dedicated efforts will use these funds to implement innovative approaches, improve maternal health outcomes, and reduce disparities among patients at the highest risk. Alarmingly, Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. Today’s announcement reinforces the commitment of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, a strategic plan targeting improved maternal health, especially in medically underserved communities.
Secretary Xavier Becerra of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated, “The Biden-Harris Administration is taking significant steps to address our country’s maternal health crisis. This support for HRSA-funded health centers will help ensure healthier pregnancy and postpartum outcomes for all and help address health disparities among women of color and women in rural and medically underserved areas.”
In 2022, Chesapeake Health Care provided care for more than 3,000 expectant mothers and delivered more than 2,100 babies. Acknowledging the existing disparities in maternal health outcomes within the community, Brian Holland, CEO of Chesapeake Health Care, expressed gratitude for the grant, stating, “This funding will empower us to create innovative initiatives that cater to the unique needs of our maternal patients.”
One of the most important initiatives undertaken by CHC through this grant is the establishment of the Centering Pregnancy Program. This Centering Program revolutionizes the provision of prenatal care and childbirth education for expectant women by replacing individual consultations with doctors or midwives with a group-based approach. Its primary objective is to promote the well-being of underprivileged women and their infants throughout the stages of pregnancy and postpartum. Notably, this innovative program marks the first time this transformative initiative will be introduced in our local region and stands as one of the first of its kind within the state of Maryland.
Additionally, CHC will be using a portion of the funds to develop its utilization of Community Health Workers (CHWs), who are integral members of the CHC staff. These CHWs, often referred to as “frontline public health workers,” possess an intimate understanding of the community they serve. Acting as liaisons between health and social services and the community, CHWs facilitate access to crucial services while enhancing the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.
Since its establishment in 1994, Chesapeake Health Care has been a trusted 501(c)(3) nonprofit, multidisciplinary healthcare practice catering to the residents of Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. With more than 150 providers specializing in adult and family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, urogynecology, mental health, dental, and pharmacy, CHC extends healthcare to uninsured, underinsured, and insured individuals. The organization also offers a Sliding Fee Scale program to assist eligible patients with healthcare payments. To learn more about Chesapeake Health Care, please visit www.ChesapeakeHC.org.
